There’s only one move that general manager Peter Chiarelli could make that would not only improve his team’s chances at winning the Stanley Cup and raise the Bruins and the city’s Q rating.

And he should really do all he can to make this happen: trade for Ottawa center Mike Fisher, who’s one half of hockey’s biggest-name celebrity couple along with country music star Carrie Underwood.

Today CapGeek.com explained that the Bruins will have about $4 million of cap room at the trade deadline to replace Marc Savard now that the star center is on LTIR. And Chiarelli acknowledged that he is going to be looking to make some moves that will fill Savard’s spot as best as the team can.

“I’ve said this on numerous occasions, we’ve built the team down the middle, or strength down the middle with our centermen. Obviously, there’ll be a gap now,” said the GM. “So we’re going to have to look to fill that gap. We’re not going to be able to replace Marc. So we’re going to have to be a little more diligent and see what’s out there. Right now, we’re looking at Zach Hamill up the middle. [We] don’t know if he’s the answer or not. We want to go far in the playoffs and we want some experience too, so … we’re obviously going to have some flexibility now with replacement players so we’ll, in the next few weeks prior to the trade deadline, we’ll be busy.”

Let me start by saying we don’t know for sure that Ottawa would deal Fisher, who is 30 and holds a partial no-trade clause. The team is definitely looking to move veterans. But they’re more apt to move some of their older, potential unrestricted free agents (Chris Phillips for example) in an attempt to rebuild than move a cornerstone player like Fisher. That’s why the Bruins should put the Senators in a position where they can’t say know to dealing their hard-working center.

﻿With a $4.2 million cap hit and a contract that extends two more seasons after this, Fisher might be a tight fit, especially beyond this season. But there are so many reasons why he’s worth the risk involved in giving up assets for him and having him on your payroll beyond this year.

This season, Fisher has been victimized by playing on a dreadful Ottawa team that has spent a large chunk of time without No. 1 center Jason Spezza. Fisher’s 14 goals (24 points) in 53 games are off his pace of a year ago, when he set a career high with 25 goals and 53 points. He’s also a minus-15. Put this guy on a team with the Bruins’ depth, and those numbers would get right back on track.

The great McKeen’s Hockey Pool Yearbook tells you all you need to know about Fisher and why he’d fit into Boston’s short-term and long-term plans like a hand into a glove. This line from the McKeen’s scouting report sums it up:

Sure, he’s not the power-play point-producer that would replace Savard one for one, but that’s where David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron would have to continue to elevate their games. With the way he’s been scoring lately, Bergeron deserves less of a defensive burden, which Fisher could take on.

Many still think the Bruins should still direct their attentions on the trade market to the defense corps, and there’s no doubt they still need to sure up things back there. But there’s no reason why they can’t both upgrade on defense and fill in for Savard with something better than a combination of Zach Hamill, Blake Wheeler and Tyler Seguin. They have plenty of draft picks and prospects to dazzle would-be partners.

The Senators aren’t going to part with Fisher cheaply. They’d probably want two prospects and a high draft pick, or two picks and one prospect. Heck, Hamill could already be auditioning for the Sens and the rest of the league. With the window for the Bruins to make a Cup run while many of their players are peaking and other teams are dealing with their own questions marks (Philadelphia’s goaltender) and injuries (Pittsburgh’s missing centermen — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin), Boston has to consider trading any of the draft picks they own for next season other than Toronto’s first-rounder, and maybe even a prospect they’re high on. Guys like Joe Colborne, Ryan Spooner, Jared Knight and Max Sauve have been impressive at their individual levels of development, but the Bruins have to start think more of the here and now rather than 2013.

While it might seem like overkill to have Fisher signed beyond this season, think about the Bruins if Savard doesn’t come back. Or maybe Savard returns, and suddenly you have a glut of centerman. At least the Bruins can say they took their best shot to win in ’11 and then just make a trade in the fall to clear the pile-up at the position.

Even if Fisher were married to Joan Rivers, pursuing his services would be more than worth it for Boston’s title chances. That he would come to Boston with a wife who almost automatically takes over as the town’s best-looking babe is just another perk of the trade.

For everything he could do to help the Bruins this season and beyond, on and off the ice, Mike Fisher should be the team’s target No. 1.

Here’s a look at some other centers skating for teams that should be sellers between now and the trade deadline:

Chris Kelly, Ottawa
$2.125 cap hit this year & next
The consolation prize if you can’t land Fisher, Kelly doesn’t have as much offensive upside (or bring as great a spouse). However, he’s a responsible defensive player with a solid work ethic.

Jason Arnott, New Jersey
$4.5 cap hit, UFA this summer
The veteran has dealt with his share of injuries the last several years and his production has dropped off. But he has won a Stanley Cup and would add the size Boston’s missing down the middle (he’s 6-foot-5, 220 pounds).

Stephen Weiss, Florida
$3.1 million cap hit, plus two more seasons
Would a reunion with his old Florida running mate inspire Nathan Horton? The Bruins might be willing to find out. Panthers general manager Dale Talllon strikes a hard bargain though, and he might be looking at Weiss as a guy he’s going to continue his rebuild around.

Brad Richards, Dallas
$7.8 million cap hit, UFA this summer
This is the guy that would take the most to acquire, and I’m talking the Stars would ask for a David Krejci or Tyler Seguin in return — and that defeats the purpose of trading for a center, especially one that’s a free agent after this season. The longer the Stars stay near the top of the West, they less likely they are to move Richards anyway.

4.2 Million dollars for 2 more seasons after this to fill the organizations deepest position? We need more patience than this, we’re not on a one year time table here. Fisher has cracked 50 points once in an 11 year career, that’s way too much cash to add another 20 goal scorer. He won’t come cheap in terms of assets, depending on what’s moved he could put us into the cap penalty for next season, and moving forward he complicates our salary structure significantly… yuck. Definitely hope that Chiarelli finds a more palatable offer. Fisher has some quality, and some good intangibles, but at this point that term is completely unpalatable. If we’re going to restructure things significantly, there are better players to go after than Mike Fisher.

Gotta say, Id rather add a D-man than another center. I’m not convinced this is the best year for the Bruins to make the all-in push for the cup. That year is drawing closer, and they can definitely keep up with the best in the east. I think in a year or two, it will be time. But this year I still don’t give up my best prospects, maybe second round picks and such, but not 1st round. not players like Colbourne. I wouldn’t mind dealing a few players this season to prepare the roster for next season though.

Bergeron and Fisher have both also played wing at various times in their careers, so not sure its a huge deal if/when Savard comes back. I think at that point you’d look at moving someone, but its not a bad idea given his unstable health to have that depth.

That said, I think I’d look towards Weiss with Fisher 2nd on my wishlist from the above choices. Not entirely convinced either guy is the answer though.

This team has enough centers. If Savard is able to return next year, what do you do then. You’d have Krejci, Bergy, Savard, Fisher, Seguin and Soupy. Plus Colborne and Hamill waiting in the wings.
The team either needs a small tweak (ie the Rex trade) or a splash (Parise).

Seguin is only 19, there is no way they were ever going to lean on him. That isn’t fair

Steve, you wouldn’t trade a guy on PVD, Wheeler, Stuart and a first rounder if it made the Bruins the prohibitive favorite to win the East? They haven’t sniffed the Finals in 2 decades. It is time to stop rebuilding constantly and move forward.

None of the chips they would deal are that big of a loss in my opinion. Coburne would be the biggest one and i would do it for a chance to win the Cup

it’s a shame segzy hasn’t progressed further to adequately center the 3rd line and krejci hasn’t been consistent. remember when chia was shopping savvy this past summer? now center is our biggest need.

I dunno, this team is already built for the future. With all of the draft picks we have coming up and the current talent in the AHL, the bruins have a chance to build a very young, very talented team in the upcoming two to four years. Why hurt those chances a lot to slightly raise the chance of winning a Stanley cup with an average winger and no number one center?

I just read that him and Underwood are building a new house in Ottawa and that he really loves the team and the area, so I wonder how pleased he’d be should he be dealt in a trade. Comes with the sport, however, and I wouldn’t mind seeing CU at the Garden.

Lol that IS Tony Romo. I don’t blame MK for the mistake though… nobody can see Mike Fisher’s face behind that manly beard.

Chia needs to get on this guy, at any cost. Next year, if worst comes you worst, Krejci could yield a hell of a return in the form of a solid winger or a decent two-way defenseman. When it comes to playoff hockey, but also when it comes to being “hard to play against”, I want a hard-working guy with veteran smarts like Fisher in my corner.

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